Current status: Answered by Neil Gray on 3 February 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the statement by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde at the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry that “Pressure was applied to open the [Queen Elizabeth University] hospital on time and on budget, and it is now clear that the hospital opened too early. It was not ready”, and whether any Scottish Ministers applied such pressure.
As the First Minister made clear during his answer to Russell Findlay at First Minister’s Questions on 22 January, there was no pressure applied by Scottish Ministers to open the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital early.
Counsel to the Inquiry, during the last day of hearings on 23 January, stated “there was no evidence from the senior GGC people involved in opening the hospital, from Dr Armstrong down, and Mr Calderwood, about pressure, either from them or from anyone else.” He went on to further state “we didn’t detect, in the evidence, pressure in the sense of, “Open it earlier than was planned.”
Those remarks are taken from the published transcript from 23 January, which is available on the Inquiry’s website. See link provided Transcript - Closing submissions for investigations into the QEUH - 23.01.26 | Hospitals Inquiry.
Ensuring the highest standards of safety across all NHS Scotland facilities is of the utmost importance. The Scottish Government's role in major capital projects is to ensure accountability for public investment and timely delivery of services the public needs. However, patient safety must always come first. We have previously demonstrated this commitment in practice - when safety concerns were raised about the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh, we supported the decision to delay its opening until those concerns were fully resolved.
The Member will be aware that this matter relates to evidence already submitted to the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry. It is right that the inquiry’s independent chair Lord Brodie be given the time and space to consider all of the evidence and get to the truth for families.